Shanghai China Snippets Observations about living in Shanghai and China in general

Entering the building the female guard looks at the big jug (5 litres) I’m carrying.

When I open the door, she asks, Is that water or alcohol?

I wonder what else they’re thinking and not saying 🙂

A new Sunday series with a photo of the week, taken from Shanghai Daily Photos.

Rabbit Art to be seen in the Ju’Roshine Life Art Space (169 Jinxian Lu, near Maoming Lu)

Just a very quick post before I’m off to Maneo for some brunch.

Last night we went to the show of David Braid and Matt Brubeck.

This afternoon they play in the Glamour Bar. If you like great jazz that borders classical music I suggest you to go.

Sunday, April 27, 4pm
Incidental Sunday at Glamour Bar
5 on the Bund, 6F – entrance at 20 Guangdong Rd
(021) 6350 9988, 6329 3751
RMB50

We’re having dinner at a friend’s place. As seems to be a Chinese must the TV is playing it’s noisy wallpaper role, in this case the SMG cartoon channel as a kid is present. Chopsticking into Chengdu dishes the cartoons are given a break and there’s an public harmony message aired.

The hosts of prominent Shanghai tv shows have participated in a “civic-consciousness” ad.

I see them waiting till subway commuters get off (opposite to barging in the moment the doors open), I see them standing on the right side of the escalator (opposite to blocking the escalator for anyone in a hurry).

Basically I see them applying all kind of forms of civilization that sometimes is hard to find here. It’s done nicely and I agree with the message although it may be slightly Utopian.

After another bite of some tofu I say, “Wouldn’t it be nice if every one in the world behaved like this”.

From the corner of the table the 8 year old son quips, “Never in Shanghai.”

What is it with mascots? They always look like being drawn by a retard that is still watching season one of Sponge Bob, which is actually a cool cartoon character aimed at kids.

After the Beijing Friendlies that went through a name makeover and became the Fuwa’s, now Shanghai has come up with as Imagethief puts it “a crossbreed of plastic TV-legend Gumby and …with Izzy, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic mascot”. Both characters I already forgot about.

This is what the geniuses of originality have come up with, Haibao (the treasure of the sea):

The Chinese have this to say (basic translations thanks to Google): (more…)

Today was the car free day in Shanghai. Traffic was the same as usual.

Jimmy Speaks pretty good English.

He’s been a taxi driver for some time now and is still young.

Jimmy also likes to talk, about football, about Feijenoord, the club from Rotterdam.

That’s a major plus for someone coming from that city.

As my Chinese still needs a lot to be desired this was my chance to learn more about the taxi trade.

Jimmy …

• works 16 hours on a day, and is the next day off
• makes between 40 and 45 rides a day
• pockets between 4000 and 5000 Rmb/month

He likes his job but it’s tiring he says. He probably won’t be happy with the new tiringno-eating and yawning regulations.

He has 1 star and wants to become a 3 star driver.

Give him a call if you need an English speaking driver.